Connected. Remembering James H. Brewer. Conway Corp to offer 1 Gig internet INSIDE IN EVERY ISSUE

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1 Connected CONWAY CORPORATION FALL 2016 VOLUME TWENTY-SEVEN NUMBER 4 INSIDE 2 Gig Internet Coming 3 Two Employees Retire 4 Energy Smart Student Contest Winners 4 Tech Home Offered 6 Home Security IN EVERY ISSUE 2 Works In Progress 5 Thoughts on Paper EDITOR Crystal Kemp CEO Richard Arnold This newsletter is published quarterly by Conway Corporation, operators of the city-owned electric, electronic and water systems. Conway Corp is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to exceeding our customers expectations in producing and delivering safe, affordable, reliable, innovative and environmentally-sound utility and telecommunications service while enhancing the quality of life in our community. Customer comments are welcome. Conway Corp Newsletter P.O. Box 99 Conway, AR ConwayCorp.com Remembering James H. Brewer Former Conway Corp General Manager James H. Brewer died Wednesday, Oct. 19 at his home in Conway. Mr. Brewer became a part of the Conway Corp family in 1955 as assistant manager. He was named General Manager in 1966 and held that position until his retirement in Our community and our company continue to feel the benefits of Mr. Brewer s leadership. Conway lost a legend, Conway Corp CEO Richard Arnold said. Jim was one of the most intelligent, hard-working men I ever knew. We all benefit from his vision. When Mr. Brewer joined Conway Corp in 1955, there were 39 employees serving 3,400 customers. That grew to 101 employees serving more than 12,000 customers at his retirement. He had a vision for the growth that would come to Conway, and he helped pave the way for Conway Corp to be able to continue to provide quality, reliable services to our customers. Under his leadership the Gleason Water Treatment Plant (now Roger Q Mills Water Treatment Plant), originally designed to provide 1-million-gallons of water daily was raised to a capability of 15-million-gallonsdaily. James H. Brewer served as Conway Corp General Manager from 1966 until his retirement in Mr. Brewer died on October 19, In 1966, Mr. Brewer led Conway Corp to recommend that the city reserve the cable franchise for the city of Conway. That held a place for cable television (and after his retirement Internet services) to be offered in Conway. In 1981, the city s cable television system was completed. see James H. Brewer, page 4 Conway Corp to offer 1 Gig internet Conway Corp is proud to announce the addition of 1 Gigabit internet service to its offerings for residential customers beginning in December. Internet usage has grown and will continue to as cloud-based products and services become more prevalent, said CEO Richard Arnold. Gigabit download speeds seem a luxury today, but may be tomorrow s necessity. Using a 32-channel cable modem, customers will be able to experience download speeds that were once only possible with a direct fiber connection. The 1 Gig package, with equivalent speeds up to 1,000 Mbps down and 50 Mbps up, will be priced at $94.95 per month and will replace the current Broadband 200 package. The new speed option will not affect pricing for other tiers of service. According to Arnold, Conway Corp s infrastructure was built with a plan for upgrades as new technologies come see 1 Gig internet, page 2

2 WORKS IN PROGRESS Conway Corporation had fifty-seven projects under construction in November. Below is a list of nine major projects: Amity Road, Sam s Club Water Andrews Drive, DBO Properties Electric and Cable Central Landing Water and Sewer College Avenue, St. Joseph Electric Downtown Master Plan Electric Deer Street, Conway Corp Data Center Electric and Cable East German Lane at Rumker Road, Cottages of Conway Phase Two Cable Oak Street, Little Caesars Electric and Cable Quail Creek Subdivision Electric and Cable Sixth Street Improvements and I-40 Overpass Electric, Water and Cable Skyline Drive, Howard Johnson power upgrade Electric and Cable Sturgis Road, Acadia Health Meadows Corporate Center Electric continued from page 1 1 Gig Internet along. For several years, we have been on a strategic path toward this gigabit launch, Arnold added. Conway Corp began offering 1 Gig speeds in the downtown Data District in Chief Technology Officer Jason Hansen and Network Operation Manager Roy Grubb do a great job keeping abreast of technological advances in cable networking and hardware. With the gigabit initiative, Conway Corp is embracing its position as an internet technology leader. Customers with a 1 Gig connection can expect to: Use multiple devices at once without sacrificing speed Stream movies, download videos and upload photos with virtually no buffering or waiting Experience online gaming with a fast, stable connection Work from home with a reliable connection that supports VPN access and video conferencing For more information about the 1-Gig package or any of Conway Corp s internet packages, call or visit ConwayCorp.com. How to get the most out of 1 Gig internet service Device The key to receiving the fastest internet speed is having the right device with the right wired connection. More recently purchased devices can support faster internet speeds than older devices. Newer laptops with a 1000BaseT network interface card may support up to 1 Gig speeds. However, most smartphones and tablets are limited to speeds well below 1 Gig. (You will need to check the documentation for your specific devices to find their maximum speeds.) Connection The speed you receive will also depend on if you are using a wired connection between the device and the cable modem or if you are using Wifi service. A direct connection is the best way to experience your device s full speed. If you connect via Wifi, your speed may decrease since wireless connections are inherently slower. Wireless connections are also adversely affected by distance from the router as well as the number of walls or other obstacles between your device and the router. Wiring The wiring that distributes communication services throughout your home can also impact speeds. Modern homes usually come equipped with wiring that is more likely to support 1 Gig. Older homes are more likely to experience some loss in speed due to out-of-date wiring standards in place when those homes were constructed. Cat 5e or Cat 6 cabling is the industry-standard cabling used for 1 Gig speeds. Cat 5 and below may only be able to achieve 100 Mbps speeds. FALL Internet The internet itself will also impact speeds. Most common Internet destinations do not serve content to users at 1 Gig speeds. Even though you have 1 Gig service and you have wired your brand new computer directly into your new router to be able to download at 1 Gig, you still cannot download any faster than the server to which you are connected can serve.

3 Campbell, Fuller retire from Conway Corp the cable goes out, I m going to read a book, Campbell said with a smile. I m not calling anyone. Vivian Fuller, Receptionist Receptionist Vivian Fuller took off her headset and headed into retirement at the end of September after 11 years of service at Conway Corp. She is now looking forward to more time with her husband and traveling to see friends and family. Customers who visit Conway Corp s downtown business office have been greeted by Vivian s smile, with many Glen Campbell Glen Campbell, Dispatcher Twenty-nine years and one day. That is how long Dispatcher Glen Campbell has been taking care of customers while most of us were sleeping. In September, Campbell retired. I ll walk out the door at midnight, Campbell said. And I ll go home and sleep. Just the way I wanted it to be. Campbell says he has loved working nights. I love the stars and the night skies, he said. I enjoy time to myself. Night work gives you that. He began working for Conway Corp at a time when the company offered utility services and basic cable. Then customers called in an electric outage and we sent guys out for area outages, but if it was cable, we sent people out the next day. Today Campbell is not just fielding calls to dispatch crews, but also assisting customers with cable boxes and internet questions. Back then there were radios and pagers, he said. Today everyone has a cell phone. Technology has come, and it has changed our job a lot. Campbell is looking forward to being home and doing things around the house. I drive a dump truck part-time, he said. I ll keep doing that. I m going to miss the people, he added. I hate calling people out at 2 or 3 in the morning but every one of them has always been so good to me. I m going to miss them. There are good customers I m going to miss too. Now that Campbell is done helping customers in the middle of the night, what s he planning on doing when he needs help? If the power goes out at home, I m going to light a candle. If Vivian Fuller stopping at her desk to seek directions or just to say hello. It is important to me to project friendliness, be interested in customers and have a smile on my face, Fuller shared. I have been a lot of places where the person greeting customers did not project friendliness. We appreciate our customers, and I have the opportunity to show them that. Fuller moved to Conway in 2005 and began working at Conway Corp soon after. Having previously worked see Retirement, page 6 CONWAY CORPORATION 27:4 3

4 Energy Smart student contest winners announced Conway Corp celebrated Energy Awareness Month and Public Power Week in October by encouraging local students to show their energy smarts and participate in a poster and essay Woodrow Cummins Elementary third-grader Rylee Allen won first place in the 2015 poster contest with this entry. contest. Students in grades kindergarten through fourth were asked to create a poster on the theme My Life, Powered by Conway Corp, while students in fifth through seventh grade and eighth through 12th grade were asked to write an essay on the same theme. First-, second- and third-place prizes were awarded in each age category. Woodrow Cummins Elementary third-grader Rylee Allen won first place in the poster contest. Rylee won a Conway Corp prize pack, an Energy Smart pizza party for her classroom and a $100 donation for her classroom. Ava Clagett, fourth-grader at Woodrow Cummins, won second place, and PJ Wheeler, fourth-grader at Conway Christian Elementary, won third place. Ava and PJ both won Conway Corp prize packs. In the 5-7 grade category, Nakeia Jones won first place for her essay My Life as a YouTuber Powered by Conway Corp. Abigail Cerney won second place for her Conway Corp Powers and Provides for Me essay, and Cole Robinson won third place for his A Day in the Life of Cole, Powered by Conway Corporation essay. Nakeia is a sixth-grader at Carl Stuart Middle School. Abigail is a sixth-grader at Ruth Doyle Middle School, and Cole is a sixth-grader at Bob Courtway Middle School. A Window on the World by Zelda Engeler-Young won first place in the 8-12 grade category. My Life, Powered by Conway Corp (and Benjamin Franklin) by Elsa Mattson received second place, and My Life, Powered by Conway Corporation by Brooklynn Singleton received third place. Zelda and Elsa are seniors at Conway High School, and Brooklynn is in ninth grade at Conway Junior High School. The winning essays are featured in the current issue of 501 Life magazine and on ConwayCorp.com. FALL continued from page 1 James H. Brewer In 1980, Conway Corp began receiving power from its 2 percent interest in the White Bluff and Independence Steam Electric generating plants. Total electrical energy consumed that year was 208,689,200 kw hours, almost ten times the amount consumed in Ownership in these plants led to low electric rates for Conway Corp customers for many years. In 1983, following 20 years of negotiations, work was completed on a new water reservoir for the city. In September of that year, Conway s primary water source was dedicated and named James H. Brewer Lake. Without Jim Brewer we would not have the water source that has served us so well and will continue to serve us well for years to come, Bill Hegeman said. Hegeman followed Brewer, serving as Conway Corp CEO from 1991 until Jim s persistence to stay with that project and make it happen is the only reason we have the lake. In June 1991, just prior to his retirement, Mr. Brewer wrote these words, But Conway Corporation is not an event; it is an ongoing process, one that requires the dedication of each employee, each day. You, my friends and fellow employees, are possessors of that type of dedication. And because of that, the Conway Corporation will continue, as always to grow and be a vital part of the community it serves. Conway Corp retiree and former Chief Operating Officer Roger Mills added, Jim s goal was to always provide the best service for the citizens of Conway. I lost a good friend, and our community lost a man of great impact. Upon the occasion of Conway Corp s 75th anniversary in 2004, Mr. Brewer was interviewed for a video providing the history of Conway Corp. During that interview, he said The spark of vision that the 1929 leaders infused in to the woof and warp of this community has lasted all through the years and I would say to them, Thank you very much for your ability to put something together that had the capacity for lasting like this has. Thank you very much Mr. Brewer. For your leadership, your vision, your commitment to Conway Corporation and for leaving a legacy of dedicated service to our community.

5 THOUGHTS When I began at Conway Corp in 1978, Conway was a sleepy college town of about 20,000 people. That was about to change dramatically! Conway grew about 30 percent in the next decade and has more than tripled in my time here. James H. Brewer led Conway Corp during that first, explosive decade. Mr. Brewer, as we called him, was more than up to the task. He was visionary and bold. He saw that investments were made in infrastructure to prepare the way for the city we are today. It is impossible to communicate the many contributions he made or adequately express my sincere respect in this short column. However, I must mention two milestone accomplishments in his distinguished career. Navigation improvements in the 1960s raised the level of the Arkansas River and degraded the quality of our primary water supply, Cadron Creek. ON PAPER Mr. Brewer then spent many years working with our Congressional delegation and the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers toward the development of Conway s current water supply which bears his name. James H. Brewer Lake was dedicated in We raised the lake s level in 2007 to meet increased demand and can do so again when necessary. That lake is a priceless resource which exists largely because of his efforts. It also serves Conway County. In addition, he secured the cable television franchise for Conway Corp and constructed what may have been the first municipallyowned cable system in the United States in Brewer s vision and the efforts of William Hegeman, Brewer s successor, subsequently made Conway just the fifth city in North America to have broadband internet in As you see in this month s newslet- ter, we continue to benefit from that vision in December, Conway Corp s residential customers throughout the city can purchase internet service with download speeds up to 1 Gigabit. Whether you knew him or not, we all owe a debt of gratitude to James H. Brewer. So much that we enjoy today is the result of his wisdom, vision and perseverance on our behalf. Richard Arnold Chief Executive Officer PEACE OF MIND It s safety for you, powered by us. (501) ConwayCorp.com CONWAY CORPORATION 27:4 Conway Corp offers an advanced Home Security and Automation solution so you have the power to control and secure your home from anywhere. Plus it s backed by people you know and trust so it s easy to protect the things that matter and the ones who matter most. 5

6 CONWAY CORP TECH HOME Conway Corp s Tech Home service gives you the peace of mind that comes from having a personal technology department without the expensive cost. In fact, Tech Home Protect is now included with your internet package. Call to activate your Tech Home subscription. PROTECT PROTECT PLUS SUPPORT Web Security for computers, phone & tablets Anti-theft for your phone or tablet Keep files & photos safe with 5 GB of storage Convenient password keeper One desktop & one mobile device Web Security for computers, phone & tablets Anti-theft for your phone or tablet Keep files & photos safe with 50 GB of storage Convenient password keeper Covers four devices - desktop or mobile Unlimited Premium Technical Support 24/7 US-based customer service Setup, support & troubleshooting Home Network Management Protect on four devices plus 50 GB storage FREE $ 9 95 MONTH $ MONTH Add one desktop $4.95 month Add mobile device $1.95 month Add one desktop $4.95 month Add mobile device $1.95 month Add one desktop $4.95 month Add mobile device $1.95 month POST OFFICE BOX 99 CONWAY, ARKANSAS PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Conway, Arkansas Permit No. 16 FALL Retirement continued from page 3 in banking, a water company and a sanitation company, Vivian was quick to understand the many hats she would wear at Conway Corp. People call us for all kinds of things things that don t have anything to do with us; they come in and ask for directions. I just do my best to help them all. I also needed to learn what jobs everyone at Conway Corp did so that I could get customers to the right person. Vivian will definitely be missed by her co-workers and by our customers, Customer Service Manager Jaylene Sexton said. She has become the face of Conway Corp and has showcased our value to exceed customer expectations. We know she will enjoy retirement, but we will certainly miss her. Fuller commented that she too will miss the family she has come to know at Conway Corp both customers and co-workers. I feel like I am part of the company even though I m the front desk. I like the ways my co-workers have made me feel valued. Whatever your role is here you are important. Fuller drew on her experience with breast cancer as an example. I received my cancer diagnosis in 2011, and my mom passed away in Those were some low points for me, and Conway Corp was like family. I really appreciated the kindness, prayers and encouragement as I went through treatment and when my mom passed away. Conway Corp is a family. I m not saying good-bye. I m saying I ll see you around.